Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia will return to Riyadh from 22–24 June, with TRAVTALK as media partner. The event will bring together investors, developers, operators, and policymakers at a defining moment for the region’s hospitality sector. Ali Shahid, CEO, The Bench, organisers of the summit, shares insights on the event.
Dr Shehara Rizly Fernando
What is the main focus/event theme for the 2026 edition of FHS Saudi Arabia?
This year’s theme for FHS Saudi Arabia is ‘Where Opportunity Meets Capital’ and we have a packed two-day programme that will address the full spectrum of hospitality investment, from real estate, technology, and innovation to branded residences, future of living, and the attention economy.
At a time when confidence is being tested across the region, our partners and supporters for Saudi Arabia have given the hospitality market a clear signal of sustainable growth. Public Investment Fund’s newly approved 2026–2030 strategy includes plans to develop 100,000 hotel rooms and introduce 70 tourism experiences across the Kingdom, reinforcing the scale of opportunity now moving from vision to delivery. The hospitality investment community continues to move with conviction, and they will all be in the room, together, in June at FHS Saudi Arabia to discuss this.
What are some of the key topics that will be discussed over the two days?
The FHS agenda is designed to drill down into — and react to — the most pressing and relevant issues and opportunities affecting the region’s hospitality and tourism sector.
The opening day will have a focus on recovery, resilience, and recalibrating growth strategies amid ongoing regional uncertainty. Sessions including ‘From Recovery to Reset: Rethinking Hospitality Development Economics’ and ‘Building Through Uncertainty’ will examine how developers and operators are adapting investment models, managing risk, and sustaining momentum in a shifting geopolitical and economic environment.
